Despite an incredibly productive first season together in Green Bay, Packers outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith were unable to crack the top five – or even the honorable mentions, for that matter – of the NFL’s top edge defender duos.
The list was compiled by Pro Football Focus.
Together, the Smiths combined for 25.5 sacks and 60 quarterback hits during the 2019 season. According to PFF, they produced 148 total pressures, including an NFL-high 93 from Za’Darius.
PFF picked seven other edge-rushing duos over the Packers’ pair of Smiths.
The list, in order:
1. Nick Bosa, Dee Ford (and Arik Armstead), San Francisco 49ers
2. Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon, Cleveland Browns
3. Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport, New Orleans Saints
4. Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, Los Angeles Chargers
5. T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, Pittsburgh Steelers
The two honorable mentions were Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn of the Chicago Bears and Von Miller and Bradley Chubb of the Denver Broncos.
No mention is made of the Smiths and the Packers, who led all edge-rushing pairs in total pressures last season.
| PFF Rank | Edge pair | Team | Pressures (2019) |
| 1 | Bosa, Armstead | SF | 142 |
| 2 | Garrett, Vernon | CLE | 84 |
| 3 | Jordan, Davenport | NO | 133 |
| 4 | Bosa, Ingram | LAC | 119 |
| 5 | Watt, Dupree | PIT | 132 |
| HM | Mack, Quinn | CHI | 127 |
| HM | Miller, Chubb | DEN | 86 |
| – | Z. Smith, P. Smith | GB | 148 |
The disruptive pair will have to earn respect by repeating it all in 2020.
Not only did Za’Darius Smith lead the NFL in total pressures in 2019, but he was first among all edge rushers in pass-rushing productivity (a measure of pressures per pass-rushing opportunity). Preston Smith lagged a little behind, but he still produced 55 total pressures (22nd among edge rushers) and was one of only nine edge rushers to tally at least 10 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and 30 hurries last season.
The Packers will face three of the edge-rushing tandems mentioned by PFF next season: the 49ers, Saints and Bears.
